I remember traveling to Angola a few years back. My business travel was nearly postponed due to a lethal virus causing Marburg hemorrhagic fever in some villages in Angola, close to the Congolese border. This virus is closely related to the Ebola virus but with an even higher mortality rate. The reports from the villages were absolute devastating. The virus was causing a terrible death and striking the people in the villages hard. The company I travelled for gave me the option not to go, but as the danger of being infected was considered to be like zero I went. And I had some interesting weeks in the beautiful city of Luanda.

My favorite movie this Christmas holiday is Inception with Leonardo DiCaprio in the role as Mr Codd, the main character. In the opening scene Mr Codd is saying:
“What is the most resilient parasite? A bacteria? A virus? An intestinal worm?
An idea – Resilient – Highly contagious.
Once an idea has taken hold of the brain, it’s almost impossible to eradicate.
An idea that is fully formed, fully understood, that sticks.”

And I am thinking it’s all biblical. There are thoughts that should be planted and there are thoughts that should be renewed, removed and replaced.

King Solomon, considered one of the wisest men that ever lived, said the following about the human being:
“For as he thinks in his heart, so is he.”

In Inception this is furthermore discussed:
“And the smallest seed of an idea can grow. It can grow to define or destroy you.”

I am voting for the good thoughts… and building up my immune system to fight the bad ones.

Virus illustration found online.